Toy



Oct. 17, 1944. N STWERS 2,360,593

TOY

Filed April 21'. 1942 11 v INVENTOR. NORMAN JARAND STIVERS Patented"Oct. 17, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to toys, and more particularly contemplates a topoperated by means of a doubled cord or' the like by which a device maybe made to spin, and, while spinning, perform numerous maneuversinvolving a degree of intricacy commensurate with the proficiency of theuser.

Ihe principal object of the present invention is toprovide atopincorporating means for releasable engagement of a pair of cords adaptedto be twisted by turning the top when so engaged, whereupon the lattermay be made to spin by subsequently tensioning the cords; and from whichcords the top may be released by utilizing the centrifugal forceimparted to the cords by the rotation thereof.

Another object is to provide a method of spinning a top' in eitherdirection, or in both directions alternately, by the use of a cordinvolving the controlled release of the top from the.cord

when desired, to enable the transposition and manipulation of thespinning top free of the cord.

Another object is to provide means for manually engaging the ends of thedoubled cord by which the top is adapted to be spun to facilitatealternate tensioning and slackening of the cord,

including a board having a handle by which'the board may be manipulatedto catch the spinning top when released from the cord.

Another object is the provision of a symmetrical top composed of lightweight material comprising a pair of identical cones projecting fromopposite sides of an annular rim of greater diameter than the diameterof the bases of the respective cones, and having apair of diametricallyopposed radial slots extending from lines adjacent and parallel to theaxis of the top connecting the points of the cones and opening throughthe sides of the cones and rim, the outer extremities of the slots inthe rim' being flared to facilitate insertion and-release of oppositereaches of the cord adapted to be inserted within the'respective slotsfor actuating and controlling the top,

Another object is to provide a dowel point for either end of the topcomposed of hardmaterial to furnish a bearing when the top is spun on asuitable surface after release from the cord, to permit the compositionof theb'ody of ,the top of 'a light weight material to facilitatemanipulation ofthe same.

Numerous other objects and corresponding advantages, such for example aseconomy of construction, ease of operation in the performance,

of the simplest form of the method, but having a capacity for amultiplicity of, manipulations requiring a varying degree of skillcalculated to sustain the interest of the user, will be apparent from anexamination of the following description, read in the light of theaccompanying drawing,- in which: 7

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the top and apparatus by which it isactuated, illustrating the same in operative relationship;

Fig. 2 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, of the top and associated elementscomprising the toy,

which depicts the use of the board as a' support for the top while thelatter is spinning to enable further manipulation of the top;

Fig. 3 is is an enlarged plan view of the device showing in detail thedisposition of the slots for accommodating the means by which the top isactuated;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on lines l4 of Fig; 3. V

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numerals of which indicatesimilar parts throughout the several views, 5 designates the body of atopcomposed of a light weight material, such as certain soft woods orthe like. Top 5 consists more specifically of a circular disk B'havingintegral cones I projecting from opposite sides thereof, and concentrictherewith. The bases of the cones are of less diameter than the diameterof the disk whereby top 5 is provided with an annular flange 8-intermediate'its ends (see particularly Figs. 3 and 4 The top isradially slotted at diametrically opposite sides in a plane passingthrough the ends of the toy, the slots 9 opening through the sides ofboth cone portions 1 and disk 6, and extending inwardly to linesadjacent and substantially parallel to the axis of the top passingthrough the ends thereof. The outer extremities of the slots are flaredoutwardly as at ID for a purpose hereinafter described. A bearing pointis provided by a dowel ll of hard wood or the like, which is insertedinto one end of the top. The outer end ofdowel II which protrudes fromthe top is tapered to a point for obvious reasons.

Top 5 is rotated by means of a doubled cord l2, the'adjacent ends ofopposite reaches i3l3 of which are connected to a ball l4 and to a flatboard l5, respectively. The board is preferably in the form of a paddlehaving a handle It to assist in its manipulation. The two reaches |3--|3of the cord are connected to the shank of handle I?) at points thereonpreferably spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the distancebetween the inner ends of slots 9 in the top. The opposite ends ofreaches 13-! 3 of cord l2 connected to ball I4 are similarly held inspaced relation whereby the strands of the cord extending between theball and board l5 when held.

taut are substantially parallel.

One embodiment of the method of my invention involving the use ofapparatus hereinabove disclosed is briefly described as follows: Theball I4 and board l5 are held apart so as to maintain reaches I3-I 3 ofthe cord in spaced parallel relation. Top is then placed between theopposed reaches of the cord and is arranged to permit the strands toenter the respective slots 9 with the dowel-fitted end of the toppointing in the direction of board I5. While holding ball I4 and boardI5 against movement, the top is manually rotated so as to twist reachesI3-I3 of the cord at opposite sides of the top in the same direction.The reaches of the cord need be manually twisted to a degree onlysuflicient to securely retain the top therebetween. The top is thenshifted between the reaches of the cord until it is approximatelyequi-spaced between the ball and board, and is placed down to preventits being prematurely rotated in response to the tendency of the cord tounwind. Ball I4 and handle I6 of the board are then grasped in the handsof the user and the cord is suddenly drawn taut so as to lift the topretained between twisted strands of the cord I2 from it support, intothe air. By tensioning cord I2, the top will be spun as the cord unwindsin order to increase the distance between the ball and the board incompliance with the tension exerted. It will be appreciated that thegreater the tension brought upon cord I 2, the greater will be the speedwith which the cord will unwind, and, correspondingly, the greater willbe the speed of rotation imparted to the top. When the cord is fullyunwound the top will continue to turn as a result of its momentum andwill cause the opposed reache I3I3 of the cord to wind together in theopposite direction. By slightly relieving the tension as the cord isrewoun'd by the top, the latter will be permitted to spend its force inrewinding the 'cord with a minimum of resistance. As the top graduallycomes to a stop, tension is again imparted to cord I2 to turn the top inthe opposite direction. This process may be repeated as often asdesired. It will be seen that the spin of the top can be quicklyaccelerated to the maximum speed permitted by the length of the cord andweight of the top employed.

The top may be released from cord I2 by re lieving tension just as thecord reaches an unwound condition and before it begins to Wind up in theopposite direction in response to the momentum of the top. It will beunderstood that with the cord taut, the opposite reaches I3I3 thereofwill for an instant assume a substantially parallel relationship betweenthe winding and unwinding operations during the rotation of the top ineither direction. By relieving tension on the cord at this instant, thecentrifugal force imparted thereto will cause the intermediate portionsof cord I2 to be thrown outwardly through slots 9 and free of the top.It will be observed that by reason of the form of the top that onlyslight radial movement of the cords I3-I3 with respect to the top willbe required to cause the cords to leave slots 9 in the cone portions 7of the top, and that the flared outer ends II] of the slots in theannular flange 8 will facilitate disengagement of the cords from thetop. If immediately prior to the relief of tension on cord I2, as justdescribed, the ball I4 and board I5 are suddenly moved slightly to oneside so as to cause top 5 to move laterally as the opposite strands ofthe cord are thrown from engagement in slots 9 of the top, its lateralmomentum will carry the top,

free of the cord and enable it to be caught on board I5 as shown in Fig.2. The top may thus be controlled while spinning and be caused topersign, shape and number of the various elements may be made; that thematerial of which cord I2 is composed and its length may be varied aswill be obvious to those of skill in the art, to effect a correspondingvariance in the incidents and the manner of performance of its function;that the shape of the member to which the upper end of the cord isattached as shown in the drawing is merely illustrative of any devicewhich will enable the adjacent ends of the cord to be held in apredetermined position; that the depth of slots 9, the contour of top 5,and the spacing of the points of connection of the opposite reaches I3I3of the cord to ball I4 and board I5 may all be changed to meet specificrequirements; and that the outline of board I5 as well as its surfacecontour may be altered, all without departing from the spirit of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a toy of the character described, a top comprising a d sk havingconical portions integral with opposite sides of the disk, said diskhaving a pair of oppositely disposed radial slots therein openingthrough the sides thereof, and means engageable in sa d slots forspinning the top.

2. In a toy of the character described, a top comprising a disk, a pairof conical portions having bases of lesser diameter than the disk, andintegral with opposite sides of the latter, respectively, said disk andconical portions having registering radial slots in each of two oppositesides thereof, and means engageable in said slots for spinning the top.

3. In a toy of the character described, a top comprising a disk, a pairof conical portions having bases of lesser diameter than the disk andintegral with opposite sides of the latter, respectively, said tophaving registering radial slots in opposite sides thereof, and meansadapted for releasable engagement in said slots for spinning said top,said slots being flared at their outer ends to facilitate disengagementof said lastnamed means.

4. In a toy of the character described, a top comprising a circular bodytapered to a point at opposite ends, said body having a pair of radialslots coinciding with a common diameter of the body and extending fromlines adjacent to and parallel with the axis of the top and openingthrough the sides of the body, and a pair of cords engageable inrespective slots for spinning the top.

5. In a toy of the character described, a top comprising a body havingoppositely disposed radial slots therein, a pair of twisted cordsreleasably engageable in said slots for spinning the top, meansconnected to the ends of said cords to tension the latter, and a memberto catch said top while spinning after release from said cords.

NORMAN JARAND STIVERS.

